This annual event helps KSD students and families get ready for the start of a new school year by connecting them with school supplies, clothing and other helpful resources. Last year’s Resource Fair served 285 students, one of the highest turnouts since COVID. We are excited to continue working together to make sure every Bulldog has a strong start to the school year.
The 2026 Resource Fair will be held at Kearney Junior High:
- 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13
- 9 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 14
Thank you to our KSD social workers, counselors, staff members and community volunteers who help make this event possible each year. Their work reflects the very best of what it means to be part of Team KSD: showing up for kids, supporting families and helping our students feel ready for the first day of school.
Please pre-register today and help us spread the word to any KSD family who may benefit from this opportunity. |
Kearney School District’s kindergarten enrollment is open for the 2026-2027 academic year! If you have a child who will be age five on or before July 31, 2026, this is the time to enroll them in kindergarten! Start the kindergarten enrollment process by clicking the link provided below.
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If you already have a username and password: Enter that information into the windows on the left side of the page to access the Registration Gateway, then click “Add a Student” from the options on the left
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If you are new to this system: Click the “Registration Gateway” link and then click “Start” on the next screen to create a username and password
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For assistance with this process: Email reghelp@ksdr1.net
Parents/guardians will be required to provide a birth certificate, a record of required immunizations, and proof of residence for their child during kindergarten enrollment. Use our online district boundary map to locate the elementary school your child will attend.
After completing the enrollment process, one of our Parents As Teachers program Parent Educators will contact you to schedule a kindergarten screening. Parent Educators screen to help KSD plan for classes and the needs of each incoming kindergarten class. Parent Educators will also provide at-home activities and information about summer programs, as well as answer any questions parents/guardians may have.
All families are encouraged to fill out the Online Meal Application Form. Completing this form allows families to qualify for free and reduced meal prices and also allows KSD to potentially become eligible for additional academic resources and funding.
Kindergarten Orientation events will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, at each of KSD’s elementary schools. Stay tuned for details. This is an opportunity for families to receive helpful information about KSD, tour their school and meet their child’s teachers and building principal. We’re excited to welcome the Bulldogs Class of 2039!
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Bulldog families, staff, alumni and community members from across Kearney School District are invited to join the celebration from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 14, at Dogwood Elementary School, 1400 Cedarwood Parkway.
The evening will include a picnic on the playground with food trucks available or the option to bring your own picnic, student-led tours featuring Dogwood’s recent renovation and library addition, yard games, and time to reconnect with former Dogwood friends and staff.
We hope you’ll join us as we celebrate two decades of Dogwood pride!
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Kearney High School’s FFA students are ready to help our community get growing this spring!
The KHS FFA Spring Greenhouse Sale will open to the public from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 25, at the Kearney High School Greenhouse, located between KHS and Southview Elementary.
Additional sale dates will be:
- 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday-Friday, April 30-May 1
- 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday-Friday, May 7-8
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Kearney High School students put their workplace readiness skills to the test and earned outstanding results during the Kansas City area Job Olympics competition on April 11 at Liberty High School!
Fourteen Bulldogs participated in the event, which gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities through real job tasks and mock interviews. Job Olympics helps students practice the professionalism, communication and practical skills that are so important for success in the workplace.
Our students have been building those skills throughout the year, and their hard work showed. Seven Bulldogs earned the opportunity to compete at the state level on May 12 in Columbia:
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Amber Leath: Animal Pet Care
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Raymond Cochran: Bagging Groceries
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Ayden McClary: Custodial Skills
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Gavin Null: First Aid Packaging
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Haydon Parton: Movie Hosting
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Lydia Bobadilla-Torres: Interview
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Brody Shipers: Table Bussing
The KHS team also brought home third-place honors in Division II for small schools.
Congratulations to these hardworking Bulldogs and the educators who helped prepare them for this outstanding achievement! We are so proud of the way they represented Kearney School District!
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Please join us in congratulating Kearney High School students Emi Eberhardt, Delayne Boyd, Sofia Kouzinoglou and Kate Smith for being selected for the Missouri All-State Vocal Jazz Ensemble!
This is an extraordinary achievement. Only 15 students from across Missouri are chosen for this ensemble, and KHS students earned four of those spots.
To audition, students submitted recordings of themselves singing the jazz standard “Centerpiece” while also demonstrating vocal improvisation. They also had to learn and perform harmonies on the jazz chart “Emily.”
Now that they have been selected, Emi, Delayne, Sofia and Kate will prepare a series of varied and complex jazz charts before traveling to Springfield this summer for the Missouri Choral Directors Conference. While there, they will work with a world-class clinician, spend several days in rehearsal and musical immersion, and perform in a concert.
We are incredibly proud of these talented KHS vocalists and grateful to KHS Choir Director Dustin McKinney for his work supporting our students.
Congratulations, Emi, Delayne, Sofia and Kate!
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Congratulations to Kearney High School Girls Basketball player Brooke Paalhar for breaking school records for career steals and career assists!
Career Steals:
- Jenni Miller - 275 (1989-1993)
- Brooke Paalhar - 278 (2022-2026)
Career Assists:
- Keri Hessel - 346 (1997-2001)
- Brooke Paalhar - 379 (2022-2026)
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Congratulations to Kearney High School students Milo Griffith and Brennan Judkins, who were selected by their classmates as the King and Queen during the 2026 KHS Prom on Saturday, April 25. Thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s prom a memorable celebration for our students. We’re proud of our Bulldogs! |
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Southview Elementary fourth-grade students recently had the chance to welcome back a familiar face. Former Southview student and Kearney High School Class of 2025 graduate Tye Mills visited the classroom of teacher GiGi Leighr on Friday, April 17, after enlisting in the United States Air Force.
Students had written Tye letters of support this school year, making the visit especially meaningful as they were able to meet with him in person, hear about his next chapter and celebrate his commitment to serve our country.
We love seeing our former students return to inspire the next generation of Bulldogs! And we appreciate Tye's service to our country!
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Students entering grades 9-12 next school year and interested in cheer are invited to try out for the Kearney High School Cheer squad. This is a great opportunity to be part of a proud tradition of school spirit, teamwork and Bulldog pride.
A parent information meeting will be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 3, in Gym 1. Tryout clinics are scheduled for May 4, May 6 and May 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the KHS gym. Official tryouts will be held on May 8, beginning at 5 p.m.
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Friday, May 1, is School Lunch Hero Day, and Kearney School District is proud to celebrate the caring professionals who help keep our students nourished, supported and ready to learn.
Our lunchrooms are run and staffed by our partners with Southwest Foodservice Excellence, better known as SFE. Under the leadership of Director of Food Service Angie Lyman, these team members prepare and serve meals, greet students with smiles, keep busy cafeterias moving, make sure meals are ready each day and help create a welcoming place for children in every school.
School Lunch Hero Day is a chance to recognize the dedication, care and hard work of school nutrition professionals across the KSD. These team members play a vital role in supporting learning and making a difference for every child who walks through the cafeteria doors.
Please join us in thanking our SFE food service team members for everything they do for KSD students and staff. We appreciate our School Lunch Heroes!
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Today is National School Principals Day, and Kearney School District is proud to celebrate the outstanding leaders who guide our schools with care, purpose and dedication.
Please join us in thanking our KSD principals:
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Dr. Amy Baugh, Early Education Center
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Kathleen Bahan, Dogwood Elementary
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Chauncey Rardon, Hawthorne Elementary
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Dr. Mitch Masker, Kearney Elementary
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Dr. Rebecca Parks, Southview Elementary
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Dr. Dan Miller, Kearney Middle School
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John Goodin, Kearney Junior High
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Dr. Andy Gustafson, Kearney High School
Our principals support students, encourage staff, partner with families and help build the school communities that make KSD such a special place to learn and grow. Their work is complex, constant and deeply important.
Thank you to each of our principals for leading with heart and helping every Bulldog feel known, supported and ready to succeed!
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As the Missouri legislative session gets underway, Kearney School District is launching a short Legislative Update email newsletter to help our community understand how proposals in Jefferson City could affect our community's public schools. This newsletter will include a straightforward snapshot and brief analysis of proposals, bills, and laws at the state level that may impact public education, along with contact information for our local legislators. Please visit the KSD Legislative Updates page on our website at www.ksdr1.net/legislativeupdates and complete the opt-in form if you’d like to receive these newsletters. |
Kearney School District had the privilege of celebrating outstanding educators, support professionals, retirees and community partners during the 2026 Team KSD Awards & Retiree Reception on Thursday, April 30, at Tobacco Barn Farm.
The highlight of the evening was the announcement of our districtwide award recipients. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Brad Miller, chemistry teacher at Kearney High School, as the 2026 Kearney School District Teacher of the Year, and Stephanie Dolinar, Puppy Pound Lead at the Kearney Early Education Center, as the 2026 Kearney School District Support Staff of the Year.
Dr. Miller has served 17 years in public education, including the last seven at KHS. He is known for helping students tackle challenging material with confidence, humor and persistence. In a subject that can feel intimidating, Dr. Miller pairs high expectations with encouragement and support, helping students believe they are capable of more than they may have thought.
Mrs. Dolinar has served all 18 years of her public education career with KSD. Her work at the Puppy Pound supports some of our youngest Bulldogs, their families and our district staff members. She creates a safe, structured and joyful environment where children can learn, grow and feel loved.
We are also grateful to the Kearney School District Education Foundation for its tangible support of these awards and its continued investment in our students, teachers and staff. That partnership helps make this recognition even more meaningful for our honorees.
The evening also included recognition for our school-level Teachers of the Year, school-level Support Staff of the Year, 2026 retirees, Volunteer of the Year Aaron Jury and Business of the Year Long Veterinary Clinic.
Congratulations to Dr. Brad Miller, Stephanie Dolinar and all of this year’s Team KSD honorees. Their service, professionalism and heart help make Kearney School District a wonderful place for students to learn and grow.
LEARN MORE & MORE PHOTOS:
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May 12 - Seniors' Last Day
May 17 - KHS Class of 2026 Graduation
May 20 - Board of Education Business Meeting
May 22 - Last Day of School (Half-day)
May 25 - Memorial Day (Schools & Offices Closed)
June 1 - First Day of Summer School
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